NBA star Enes Kanter slams Xi Jinping over Uygur ‘genocide’ in Xinjiang

Boston Celtics player takes to court in NBA game against Toronto Raptors in “Free Uygur” shoes

Tencent pulled team’s games after initial comments and “Free Tibet” shoes in season opener

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Boston Celtics' Enes Kanter wears shoes with the message ‘Free Uygur’ ahead of an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors in Boston. Photo: AP

Published: 6:05pm, 23 Oct 2021Updated: 8:47am, 24 Oct 2021

Fresh off criticising Chinese president Xi Jinping over Tibet, Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter has slammed the leader over the treatment of Uygurs.

Kanter posted on his social media accounts ahead of his team’s game with the Toronto Raptors on Friday night (US time), calling out Xi by name. He also wore shoes with “Free Uyghur” and other messages onto the court.

“Heartless Dictator of China, XI JINPING and the Communist Party of China,” he wrote. “I am calling you out in front of the whole world. Close down the SLAVE labour camps and free the UYGHUR people! Stop the GENOCIDE, now!”

According to human rights groups and a United Nations committee, as many as 1 million Uygur Muslims – the region’s largest ethnic group – have been detained in “re-education centres” there and subjected to indoctrination, torture and forced labour.

China denies the accusations, along with those of “genocide”.

Celtics games had been removed from Chinese streaming site Tencent after Kanter’s comments on Tibet ahead of their season opener against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

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